Bruges, the capital of West Flanders in northwest Belgium, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. The former medieval settlement, richly populated with original Gothic constructions, canals and cobblestones, is a place where conservation and heritage are paramount. But it’s also a key destination for contemporary art, as the 2024 edition of its Triennial, Spaces of Possibility, establishes in clear terms.
The word “Zwerfruimte” literally translates as “Wanderspace”, coined by Flemish architecture and research firm, RE-EST. It refers to both built and unbuilt spaces which are underutilised, undervalued and seemingly unremarkable. These are places that we encounter on a daily basis, but have been left behind in favour of other urban developments. For the fourth iteration of the Triennial, twelve artists and architects have transformed sidelined spaces across Bruges into destinations of wonder, playfulness and reflection. They do so via dynamic site-specific installations, providing new ways for residents and visitors to explore and experience overlooked streets and buildings. The works ask us to stop and take notice.
One of the big-name artists on the roster is Mona Hatoum (b. 1952), whose installation, Full Swing, invites audiences to enter a subterranean corridor boarded by walls of dark grey stone, encased in Hatoum’s signature metal cages. The piece can be found in the grounds of Onzelievevrouw Psychiatric Hospital. Hanging at its centre is a single swing on which visitors can sit. It is about isolated joy, concealed play and tempered hope, with blue skies appearing only to those prepared to release their inner child.
Elsewhere, in an alleyway, SO-IL presents Common Thread, which issues its own enticing call to action: the mouth of a tunnel, destination unseen. Intrigued visitors find themselves undulating with its curves, ultimately arriving in the hidden garden of a former Capuchin monastery. The artwork is a sensory experience defined by a fluid journey, partial opacity and surprising softness and flexibility. Intricately woven from recycled ocean plastic, and supported by curved tubes, it functions as a kind of giant, tubular crinoline. As such, the Brooklyn architecture and design firm nods to Bruges’ historic lace industry.
Then, on a lesser-known corner of King Albert I Park, split off by a main road, sits The Tower of Balance. Created by Bangkok Project Studio, the piece is a counterpart to the three iconic medieval towers – St Salvator’s Cathedral, the Church of Our Lady and the Belfry – which protrude as focal points from the skyline. They are, amongst other things, symbols of traditional power hierarchies, written in stone. Inversely, The Tower of Balance is a loose and open structure made from pine. It invites us to rise up through a helictical stairway. At the top, you take in the view and ring a large bell, adding to the city’s soundscape.
What’s notable is how the Triennial brings sense of placemaking to spaces which were previously anonymous and undervalued, allowing them to, once again, make a meaningful contribution to public life. Here, “practitioners of the possible” integrate heritage into contemporary artworks that add to the city’s rich cultural fabric. They enrich, rather than compete with, the history of Bruges: a story still being written.
Spaces of Possibility, on display across Bruges until 1 September ǀ triennalebrugge.be
Words: Megan Hobson | In partnership with Visit Flanders
Images: Common Thread, SO–IL, Bruges Triennial 2024, © Filip Dujardin.
